A Prince is Born
by DreamingIce
Summary: King Roald the first waits and worries with his brother-in-law Duke Gareth as his wife gives birth to his son. a one-shot about Jon's birth. EPILOGUE ADDED! Roald reflects before his death.
1. Beginning

**A/N: well I have returned from the dead, writing wise. I was feeling bored last night, so I wrote this little one-shot about Jon's birth. I have been reading in this Fandom for a few weeks now, and I have a couple of questions. One, why aren't there any fics about Jon's parents? And 2, why is everyone so against fics that have Jon/Thayet as the major pairing?!? I'm actually getting rather tired of all the Jon/Alanna fics, ALANNA BELONGS WITH GEORGE, JON BELONGS WITH THAYET, END OF STORY!**

**Disclamer: I own nothing but the names of Duke Gareth's wife, Roger's Parents, and the name of Alanna's mother.**

**Anyways, enough rambling, on with the story. Enjoy!**

**A Prince is Born**

King Roald the First of Tortall paced nervously in the corridor. He could hear his beloved Lianne screaming in pain, it tore his heart to hear it and be unable to help her.

"Roald, _please_ will you sit down and stop pacing, you're making me even _more_ nervous!" came from behind him. Roald looked at his brother-in-law, his best friend and his Champion. Gareth of Naxen smiled weakly at him. "There's no point wearing yourself out, you know that all you can do is sit and wait."

Roald sighed in frustration, "But I can't stand it when she's in pain Gareth, and I want to be _with_ her."

His friend glared at him, "She's my only sister, do you think _I_ like it when she's in pain?" he glared at his King some more, "And they wont let you in, try and bang the door down if you must, but don't expect it to get you in there." He added in a dry tone as Roald eyed the door to Lianne's chambers

"How can you so calm about this all!"

"Gary is a year old now, in case you've forgotten that fact. I've been through it before. You should remember that, you were with me."

Roald sighed again; it was definitely going to be a _very_ long night. "Well, I also remember sitting up with Endon when Jasmine had Roger, and look what happened there!"

Gareth watched as a spasm of fear flitted across Roald's face. He too remembered what had happened that night, Roald's elder sister, Princess Jasmine, had died giving birth to her and Endon's first son, Roger. That was ten years ago now, but everyone had seen the impact that it had made on the royal family, Endon had never really recovered, he himself had died of an illness three years ago. King Jasson, the Queen they had been beyond shock and grief, and they too had died within the past few years, two years ago to be precise. And Roald, he'd only just turned 13 at the time, he'd barely been able to cope with it all. Roger himself had been shipped of to Carthak University this year, for his Gift was extraordinarily powerful.

"It won't come to that Roald, your sister was only seventeen..." he trailed off slowly.

"But-"

"But what? Lianne's strong and healthy, please, believe me, I know my sister, she'll get through this just fine." Gareth tried to soothe his brother-in-law, while trying to banish his own fears over his younger sister. Looking at Roald a few minutes later, he saw that the King had finally decided to listen to his advice, and had calmed down, so much so that he was gently dozing off.

Getting up awkwardly, Gareth stretched his arms. His sister was so lucky, having a husband that cared about her so much. After all, so many of the couples at court were constantly lying to one another, having affairs, and other things that spell death to a relationship. He also considered _himself_ lucky, with his darling Marianna.

Thinking of Marianna, he also thought of his son. Marianna had _insisted_ that their son be named after him, and he hadn't the heart to argue about a name when she looked exhausted, so he was Gareth the younger of Naxen, but that had already been shortened, to Gary. Thinking about his son, the King's Champion and newly appointed Training Master, _Duke_ Gareth chuckled to himself. Gary was already getting to _everything_. He briefly wondered what he was going to be like to train, because, unless something drastic happened to Gary or himself (Gods forbid), he would end up training him as a page and squire. That could prove to be..._interesting_...

Gareth's thoughts, and whatever dreams Roald was having, were suddenly interrupted by the door to Lianne's room creaking open.

One of the new healers poked their head out. Gareth briefly searched for a name to put with the face, Baird of Queenscove wasn't it?

"Your Majesty, your Grace." He said bowing to both Roald and Gareth respectively, "The queen is able to see you now, and, your Majesty, congratulations." He bowed again as he left to two men. Roald started forward immediately, Lianne's brother on the other hand, held back. The two of them need some time alone before he joined them.

Roald entered his wife's room quickly. The moment Lianne saw Roald hurry into the room, her face face lit-up like the sun. Happiness was almost visibly radiating out of her as her husband approached her and kissed her on the forehead.

After holding each other for a few moments, Roald looked at the bundle in Lianne's arms. Seeing what he was looking at she smiled "Would you like to hold your son, Roald?"

He nodded, speechless with an emotion he couldn't quite name. The baby boy shifted slightly in his sleep as his mother passed him over, his coal-black hair ruffling in a slight breeze. Roald was filled with an inexplicable awe as he held his son. _His son_. He was father, he had helped create this life.

Lianne smiled as she watched her husband's face as he cradled their newborn son, she was exhausted, but she didn't want to let her child out of her sight for a minute. "What shall we call him?" She asked.

Roald thought for a bit, "What about naming him after my grandfather, Jonathan?"

Lianne smiled, "Perfect. Prince Jonathan of Conté it is. Maybe it could be shortened to Jon." She held out her arms to indicate that she wanted to hold her son again.

Roald handed him back, somewhat reluctantly. Looking into his wife's brown eyes, he read the weariness in them. "Do you think we should let your brother in now?" he asked in mock seriousness.

Lianne's eyes snapped wide open, "Oh, Goddess! I'd forgotten about Gareth!"

Roald smiled slyly, "I'm sure brother would _love_ to know that you'd _forgotten_ him."

She slapped him lightly on his arm, "Don't be mean, my love."

Roald simply grinned at her as he went to let his brother-in-law in.

Gareth was waiting impatiently as Roald opened the door.

"Finally, am I allowed to see my sister yet O Great One?" he inquired sarcastically.

"Of course, you dolt." Roald replied. "She's tired though, she needs to rest soon."

"I know that, I'm not exactly going to talk all night, am I?" remarked Gareth as he walked in behind Roald.

Lianne of Conté smiled broadly as her older brother entered the room. "Well, brother, I suppose you would like to see your nephew, fair enough." Said Lianne, her wicked sense of humour returning, "But if you wake him up, I _will_ get revenge on you."

Duke Gareth of Naxen smirked at his sister as his nephew was handed to him. "Well, my Queen, as I have a one-year-old son at home, that shouldn't be a problem." He glanced down at features that were like that of his mother's. Same hair, same stubborn chin, although that could be from the Conté line as well. "What did you call him?" he asked softly.

"Jonathan." Supplied Roald.

"Well, young Jonathan, I hope you don't get up to as much mischief as your cousin Gary does." He chuckled wryly; "I hope that for your parents sake more than anything."

Roald grinned at that statement. "Surely he can't be that bad."

Gareth shrugged. "Anyway, you look tired Li, I'd better leave you to rest," he grinned wickedly as he added, "While you still can!"

He handed Jon back to his father before he departed. After a couple of minutes, Roald placed Jonathan in his crib next to Lianne's side of the bed, and went to hug his wife and queen. Lianne snuggled into his chest as she drifted off to sleep. He smiled as she muttered in her sleep, "no, Jon, you can't do that." She was getting in practice already he thought merrily.

Slowly, Roald too drifted off to sleep. His dreams were strange, he'd almost say that they showed his son's future. A black-haired blue-eyed page, Jonathan? Standing with a group of four others, one looking so much like Roald's brother-in-law that it could only mean that it was young Gary, the other three he didn't recognize, he did however recognize the short red-head that the five were speaking to. Catherine of Tameran had been one of Lianne's friends before she'd withdrawn from court after her marriage to the Lord of Trebond. After all, how common was red hair and purple eyes?

The scene changed, Jonathan and the red-headed boy were fighting strange creatures, in a city that gleamed of black stone, light flared as the last two creatures disappeared.

Again it changed, the throne room, he was sitting on his throne, Roald's dreamself gasped when he saw Lianne, she was so pale and thin! The same red-headed boy, Alan, as he'd found out his name, fought a duel – with none the other than what looked to be his nephew, Roger. Roger struck a blow with his sword, and in that moment, Roald couldn't believe it, 'Alan' was a _girl_, called Alanna, a knighted _girl_. An orange cloud gathered around Roger, stretching to reach Jonathan and himself. Alanna struck him with her sword, hard.

Once again, the dream shifted. Now a sober young man stood looking at two graves. When he looked at the names, Roald's dreamself was shocked to find both Lianne's and his. Jonathan only looked about the same age Roald himself was now.

The dream moved on yet again, Jonathan looked almost giddy this time. Roald soon saw the reason. Royal weddings are always a grand affair, you can't exactly mistake one. Roald looked around for any familiar faces. He found some, his brother-in-law, looking a bit worse for the wear admittedly, with Marianna, their son, his nephew, Gary, was giving Jon hard time. Looking again, he also saw Sir Myles of Olau and Catherine's knighted daughter, Alanna. He couldn't really recognize any of the others around his son and Jon's soon-to-be wife, although he suspected that one of the men might have been a Goldenlake.

As the Roald's dream shifted for the last time, Roald found himself wondering if these were prophetic dreams or just pure nonsense, they seemed so real, but... a girl becoming a knight? He knew that there used to be warrior maidens years ago, but still.

This last part showed Jonathan fighting with some thing that looked suspiciously like the Dominion Jewel from the legends, against creatures from other legends, he searched for the name given to them, Stormwings, that was it. It was a full-scale battle that raged around Roald's son.

Slowly the dream ended and faded away to true sleep. Deep in his subconscious, Roald was storing the dream away as a kind of prophecy, even if his mind wouldn't remember it in the morning.

**A/N: Well? What do you think? Was the dream thing OK? Please press the little purple button down there to tell me! Constructive criticism welcomed.**


	2. End of an Era

**A/N: Yep, I know said that this would be a one-shot fic, but KatYoukai suggested that I do an epilogue, and I like this idea too! (My replies to all of my lovely reviewers will be at the end) I'll probably add an epilogue to one of my other one-shot fics as well, I can't help myself! So… this is set around the time of Roald's death, as he reflects on Lianne, and _those_ dreams from the end of the last chapter. Warning! Lots of suicide references in regard to Roald.**

_**Dedicated to KatYoukai, who asked me to do this chapter.**_

A Prince is Born – Epilogue

_Gone_. The word reverberated around Roald's head like a demented echo. His wife, his loving Lianne, had gone, succumbing to the many illnesses that had plagued her since Roger's spells had been lifted. Roald felt like an empty shell.

It had been nearly a whole three weeks since she had passed into the hands of the Black God. Roald no longer cared for anything around him, he took refuge in his memories of the past, of happier times. He saw the worry on faces around him, but all he could think of was Li…

Roald had locked himself into his chambers for the first week, only letting Duke Gareth and Jonathan in once, to say that he was handing over the reins to Jon 'for the time being.' That last bit was a lie, as the words left his mouth Roald knew deep down in his heart that he would never recover from this. He was going to die of a broken heart.

He had eaten sparsely, and only ate to stop the entire court gossiping about him, not that wasn't already happening anyway. There was no stopping the court gossips on a topic like how the King coping with the death of his Queen, or how Prince Jonathan, or Duke Gareth were taking the loss of their mother/little sister, depending on who it was you were talking about.

Deep in thought, and lost in the depth of his memory, Roald found himself gazing out of a window, the sweeping view of the royal forest starching as far as the eye could see. Memories overwhelmed him, his confession that he loved her, their first kiss, when he'd proposed to her in their favourite clearing…

It was there that his brother in law found him with tears silently rolling down his cheeks as he remembered the times that he and Lianne had spent down in the forest.

"Roald?" asked voice from behind him.

"Remember that time Li and I pulled that prank on you in the forest, when we'd just start courting?" Roald asked quietly, he knew it was Gareth without even turning around.

Gareth let a small, wry smile cross his worn, grief-stricken face, "How could I forget, it took weeks for that dye to rinse out of my hair, I was the source of ridicule for _months_ thanks to you two." He said dryly. "I did not appreciate being turned into a redhead," he added.

Roald grinned slightly in spite of himself at the memory of Gareth of Naxen turned into a redhead, Lianne had decided that his temper was becoming like the temper of a redhead, and that he should have red hair. Those had been the days…

"Don't you wish we could go back to those days? Back to when thing were simpler…" Roald asked.

"They only seemed simpler because we were still young." Was the soft answer he received. "Dwelling in the past isn't going to help you Roald, it'll only make it more painful," Duke Gareth continued, his misery and grief obvious in his voice. "I know your in pain, so am I, but don't do anything rash, for Jon's sake especially, he's struggling as much as you are, he's just hiding it better than you." He added again, withheld tears making his brown eyes bright.

There was silence as Roald slowly registered what had just been said.

"I just feel so guilty, _she_ was supposed to outlive _me_, not the other way around! She deserved better! I feel like I failed her, I said I'd keep her safe, and couldn't even protect her from a member of my own family!" Roald let the tears burning in his eyes course down the well-worn tracks on his cheeks again as he got more and more worked up. "What do you think would have happened if Alanna of Trebond hadn't discovered the image spells Roger had on her? We would have lost her sooner! I can't bear it, I can't," Roald trailed off.

Gareth gripped Roald's arm painfully, "Don't you dare blame your self for what Roger did, young Alan- no, _Alanna_, was the only one who Roger didn't have under his thumb, I always thought that she was afraid of him. With good reason we now see. You didn't fail her! You loved her too much to let yourself fail her. And if you _insist_ on blaming yourself for Roger, remember this, were all just as guilty, he had us all under wraps." Roald tried to wrench his arm free, but his brother-in-law wasn't going to let go. "Didn't you hear what I said before, don't do anything rash! Please!" there was a note of pleading entering Gareth's voice as he talked. When he had finished his speech, he let go of Roald's arm.

Silence settled around Tortall's king once, more as his brother in law left him to his tumultuous, and somewhat morbid, thoughts.

Gareth was deep in thought as he walked back toward his chambers. He didn't want to admit it, but he was worried that Roald _would_ do something stupid, he wasn't quite sure why. Maybe it had something to do with the way he continually walked around the palace like a ghost, or maybe it was just some kind of intuition telling him that Roald wouldn't be around for a lot longer.

He hoped desperately that it was all in his imagination, but day-by-day, the feeling of dread was building was growing inside him, and all he could possibly do was wait and see.

* * *

Only a couple of days after that talk between Roald and Gareth, a hunting party was announced. The members of the court were surprised, and pleased to hear that their king would be joining the early April hunting party. 

Roald was finalising his plans. _His death plans._ The thought suddenly struck him as he glanced up from saddling his horse. He looked around the stable, his blue eyessoaking it all up as it hit him that he was never going to see it again after this.

"Father? Are you ready?" inquired a quiet voice behind him.

Roald turned to face his 24-year-old son, as worn looking as the king himself, the past three weeks of stress and grief taking their toll on his young, handsome face. Jonathan was already mounted on his horse, Darkness. Seeing that he was the last member of the party to still be standing on the ground, he hurriedly mounted .

As the hunt, and the day, drew on, Roald was deep in thought. He was going to die today, kill himself. He knew that as well as knew his own name. He just wanted to be with Lianne again, never to be separated from her…

_Lianne wouldn't want you to do this,_ a little voice within his own head screamed out. She'd _say that Jon needs you now, that you need each other._ Roald squashed the voice quickly, but he still squirmed at the same time… Jonathan… he was effectively going to abandon him.

Guilt swept through his body at the thought, but it had to happen. He couldn't go on like this, but he couldn't pull himself back together either.

He continued to think about his son, his only child. It wasn't that they hadn't wanted more, but after two miscarriages… there wasn't much they could do.

Roald looked up to where he saw Jonathan and young Gary talking and a surge of pride filled him as he gazed at his son. _Jon will make a great king,_ he thought. _Better than me, he won't be afraid to try new things, the fact that he took Alanna of Trebond as his squire says_ that_ much. And he won't isolate himself in the palace like I have_…

Roald chuckled silently to himself. His son was defiantly more like his grandfather than his father. Or maybe he was the perfect balance between the "Empire Builder" and the "Peacemaker" Not unwilling to fight, but able to negotiate peace where there was once unrest and distrust. The thing with the Bazhir tribes proved that, he'd been adopted into a tribe, and become the voice of the tribes. _Jon doesn't think that he'll be king for years, but he will be soon. And I'm sure he'll rise spectacularly_. Roald thought.

Casting his mind back, Roald thought of the night that Jon was born. The anxiety, the pacing, the worrying and when he was finally let in, the look of pure joy on Li's face, how tiny Jon had been, hard to believe that that tiny baby was now twenty four and _very_ tall, and lastly, those strange dreams he'd had.

He'd thought, at the time, that they might be prophetic dreams, but then he'd promptly forgotten them. They'd only resurfaced in his mind recently. Roald went over the dreams in his head quickly. Jon, Gary, Raoul of Goldenlake, Alexander of Tirragen, Francis of Nond and Alan- _Alanna_ of Trebond as pages. Then what he supposed that next was part of Jon and Alanna's battle against the Ysandir.

The next segment… that fateful night nearly two years ago now, when Alanna exposed Roger for what he was, and at the same time, Roger exposed her true identity. Roald winced visably when he thought of the next part, it hadn't come true yet, but it soon would.

He almost laughed when he thought about the second last "sub-dream" he'd had, Jon's wedding, he hadn't recognised Jon's bride then, and still didn't, Roald was just glad that it wasn't Princess Josiane.

The last bit still puzzled him though, Stormwings? The Dominion Jewel? Did these things even really exist? Oh well, he would never really understand that bit he supposed.

By this time, Roald had fallen behind the rest of the party, it was time to put his plan into action.

Twangs of guilt swept through Roald as thought about what he was leaving behind, especially Jonathan. But as he came up to the gorge he was going to "miscalculate the jump on" he thought of what he was going to, Lianne, and they'd never be separated again.

"I'm sorry Li, I can't stay here without you, I'll be with you soon my love." With those last heartfelt words he took the jump.

_These wounds won't seem to heal,  
This pain is just too real,  
There's just so much that time cannot erase.  
_-My Immortal, Evanescence.

**A/N: meh. Don't like this bit as much, not really sure why, wait yes, yes I do! It's sad, much sadder than the first bit. Anyways, please review!**

**Reviewer Replies:**

**razzberrycat: thankyou! And wish granted, it isn't really a one-shot any more, is it?**

**eridani: thanks for the advice, I'll use it next time I do a dream sequence, cause dreams are definitely fun to write!**

**Yuiko: (blushes crimson) gee, yeah, I like my story, but I wouldn't go _that_ far! **

**KatYoukai: ****you're addicted to "tortall in the past" fics are you? And you blame _me_? (tries to look offended while trying to wipe the crazy grin off her face) No, I made up the name of Alanna's mother, and where she came from. I'm wondering why no one else is doing any of the more "ignored" pairings, because I think, the less information you have, the more you can fiddle around with the characters. And yep, I did the epilogue, and I have you to thank!  
****Also, I can't believe you put me on your Favourites list!**

**Oh, and those of you who have read my other TP fanfic, Walks In The Royal Forest, I promise that there will be another chappie up by Christmas.**

**By the Aussie Daydream Queen, Misha.**


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